Key result
Supervised cardiovascular rehabilitation triples 6-minute walk distance in a single-patient report.
Why the study?
Although supervised cardiovascular rehabilitation is an important therapeutic resource in cardiovascular disease, its use in patients with aortic aneurysms after corrected dissection remains incipient and little discussed.
Does a 7-month supervised cardiovascular rehabilitation program improve functional capacity and blood pressure control in a patient with repaired Stanford Type A aortic dissection and residual descending aortic dissection?
Case Report (n=1)
No
Does a 7-month supervised cardiovascular rehabilitation program improve functional capacity and blood pressure control in a patient with repaired Stanford Type A aortic dissection and residual descending aortic dissection?
This case report demonstrates the feasibility and safety of a closely monitored, individualized 7-month supervised cardiovascular rehabilitation program after surgical repair of Stanford Type A and residual descending aortic dissection, showing marked improvements in 6-minute walk distance, resting blood pressure, and return to work.
Supports feasibility of supervised rehab post-aortic dissection repair without events; hypothesis-generating and requires controlled trials before adoption.
Aortic aneurysms present a high risk of dissection and mortality.They are associated with decreased functional capacity and activities of daily living after surgical correction.Although supervised cardiovascular rehabilitation (SCR) is an important therapeutic resource in the treatment of patients with cardiovascular diseases, its use in patients with aortic aneurysms after dissection is still incipient and little discussed.The aim of this study is to foster discussion on the safety and benefit of SCR in patients with aortic aneurysms after corrected dissection through the description of a case report.The patient was male, 45 years old, with grade II obesity, heart failure with normal ejection fraction, systemic arterial hypertension, and familial dyslipidemia.He was referred to the SCR service of the Actus-Cordios Clinic in July 2022 after correction of residual chronic dissection in the descending aorta.He underwent SCR for seven months.This case report was approved by the Ethics and Research Committee under CAAE No. 94518825.0.0000.5544.After seven months of treatment, there was an increase of 240 meters, representing a 200% improvement in the 6-minute walk test (120 vs. 360 meters), a reduction in blood pressure (140 vs. 125 mmHg and 90 vs. 80 mmHg, respectively, for systolic and diastolic blood pressure), in addition to regaining the autonomy to work and study.In this case report, we document the feasibility of an SCR program following the repair of a Type A aortic dissection with residual aortic disease.No clinically detected cardiovascular or aortic adverse events were reported during the program, while we observed an increase in functional capacity and a reduction in resting blood pressure, accompanied by a return to activities of daily living.These observations that the multidisciplinary team to consider SCR for this population whenever there is no absolute contraindication.
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Petto et al. (2026) conducted a case report in Repaired Stanford Type A aortic dissection with residual chronic dissection in the descending aorta (n=1). Supervised cardiovascular rehabilitation (inspiratory muscle training, handgrip training, resistance exercises, and cyclic aerobic exercise) vs. Baseline pre-rehabilitation status was evaluated on 6-minute walk test distance (meters). Supervised cardiovascular rehabilitation for 7 months increased 6-minute walk distance by 200% (120 to 360 m) and reduced blood pressure from 140/90 to 125/80 mmHg without adverse events.
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